Chain-fastening device.



C. J. WENNBERG.

CHAIN FASTENING DEVICE.

APPLICATION HLED JAN. 5. 1912.

Patented Jan. 8, 1918.

Fig.1. fji

1 area.

' CHAIN-FASTENING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 8, 1918.

Application filed January 5, 1917. Serial No. 141,345.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CARL J. WENNBERG, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, and a resident of Milton," in the county of Norfolk andCommonwealth of Massachu setts, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Chain-Fastening Devices, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to devices for con necting the ends of endlessconveyers used in wrapping machines similar to that shown and describedin Letters Patent No. 1,179,035, issued to George IV. Prouty, April 11,1916.

In the operation of'the wrapping machine above referred to it isessential to'disconnect the conveyer when new articles to be wrapped areplaced in position and then sul sequently connect the ends of saidconveyer before the machine may again be started. In order to'save timeit is essential that this disconnection and connection should be quicklydone and to provide a device of this character which will accomplishthis desired object is the. purpose of the present invention.

The invention consists in providing each end of the conveyer with a rod,one of said rods bearing an annular flange adapted to be positioned in arecess in a member sus pended from the other rod and having pivotedthereto a closure carrying a locking member at its free end adapted toengage shouldered projections on said suspended member.

The invention further consists in certain novel features of constructionand arrangement of parts which will be fully understood by reference tothe description of the drawings and to the claims hereinafter given.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention one preferred form thereofis illustrated in the drawings, this form having been found to givesatisfactory and reliable results, although itis to be understood thatthe various instrumentalitiesof which the invention consists canbe'variously arranged and organized and that the invention is notlimited to the precise arrangement and organization of theseinstrumentalities as herein shown and described.

Of the drawings: I

Figure 1 represents a plan of a device 'em bodying the principles of thepresent invention. 7

Fig.2 represents an elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 represents a vertical section on line 3+3 on Fig. 2.

Fig. 41 represents a similar section with the closure in open position.

Fig. 5 represents a vertical section on line 55 on Fig. 2. 1

Fig. 6 represents a sectional detail on line 6 on Fig. 5, and

Fig. 7 represents a diagram indicating an endless conveyor, the ends ofwhich are adapted to be connected by the improved connecting mechanism.v

Similar characters designate like parts throughout the several figuresof the drawings.

In the drawings, 10 is an endless conveyer made up of two flexiblemembers preferably These chains in the form of chains 11-11. '1111 aredisposed parallel to each other and the corresponding ends of saidchains are connected together by means of the parallel rods 12 and 13.The rod 12 extends through a member 14.- which is provided with a pocket15 adapted to receive the enlarged portion 16 of the rod 13. The chains11 bear against the shoulders 17 formed at the opposite ends of theenlarged'portion 16 of the rod 13, thereby retaining the two chains inspaced relation to each other. The ends of the hubs 18 of the suspendedmember 161 also bear against the inner faces of the chains 11 and retainthe opposite ends of said two chains in the same spaced relation to eachother.

Intermediate the length of the enlarged portion 16 of the rod 13 is anannular flange 19 adapted to extend into a recess 20 in the suspendedmember 14, thereby preventing a lateral movement of the rod 13relatively to the rod 12 or the member 14 suspended therefrom.

' The suspended member 14 is provided with two forwardly extendingprojections 21 each having a vertical shoulder 22 thereon. The suspendedmember 141 is provided at its lower end with two forwardly extendingcars 23 through which extends a hinge pin 24 which also extends throughan ear 25 interposed between the ears 23 and, form-- ing a part of theclosure 26; The rear face of this closure 26 is provided with a recess27 into which projects a portion of the annular flange 19. on theenlarged portion 16 of the rod 13.

Projecting upwardly from and secured to the closure 26 is a stud 28provided at its upper end with a head 29. Surrounding the stud 28 is alocking member 30 normally held against the lateral pin 31 extendingfrom the stud 28v by means of a spring 32 interposed between the head 29and the up-. per face of the locking member 30. The stud 28is normallypositioned between the shouldered projections 21 as indicated in Fig. 2of the drawings, and when in this position the flat face 33 on thelocking member 30 contacts with the shoulders 22 of the projections, 21.It is obvious that when in this position the closure 26 is lockedsecurely and the two ends of the conveyer are firmly connected together.

When it is desired to separate the opposite ends of the conveyer theoperator raises thelocking member 30 against the tension of the spring32 until the flat face 33 is removed from contact with the shoulders 22on theprojections 21. When this has been accomplished the closure may beswung about the axis of the pin 24c into the position shown in Fig. L ofthe drawings.

l/Vhile theclosure is in the position shown in said Fig. 4 the rod 13may be removed from the pocket 15 of the member 1 1. When it is againdesired to connect the ends of the conveyer the rod 13 is againpositioned in the pocket 15 with the flange 19 in the recess 20., Theclosure 26 is then returnedto its normal position as shown in Fig. 3,the spring 32 acting upon the looking member 30 to cause its downwardmovementuntil the flat face 33 thereof engages with the shoulders 22 ofthe projections 21. When thus locked, the machine of which the conveyerforms a part may be operated without danger of the ends of said conveyerbeing accidentally disconnected.

The locking member 30 is keyed to the stud 28 as indicated at 34 in Fig.3 of the drawings, thereby preventing said locking 7 member 30 fromturning about the axis of said stud. 1

The fastening device herein described is designed. primarily for use inconnection with the wrapping machine shown and described in the Proutypatent above referred to, and it is obviousthat in machines of thischaracter it is very desirable to quickly disconnect the ends of theconveyer when one wrapping operation has been completed and whilenewrmaterial to be wrapped is being placed in position. r I IIeretoforein machines of this character there has been found to be considerabletime lost in making and breaking the connection 4. In a device of thecharacter between the opposite ends of the conveyer, which is veryobjectionable. This objection has been found to be wholly overcome bymeans of the device herein shown and described. v

It is believed that the operation and many advantages of this, inventionwill be. fully understood from the foregoing description.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

'1. In a device of the character described, a pair of rods; an annularflange on one of said'rods; 'a member'secured to one rod and providedwith a pocket to receive the other rod and. a recess to receive saidflange; and

means for closing said pocket and preventber; a stud extending therefromand having a head, said stud being adapted to be positioned between saidprojections; a locking member keyed to and slidable lengthwise of saidstud; and a spring interposed between said head and locking memberwhereby said locking member may be retained inengagement with saidshouldered projections;

3. In a device of the character'described, a pair of rods; a membersecured to one rod provided with a pocket to receive the other rod andhaving two shouldered projections; a pocket closure pivoted to saidmember; a stud extending therefrom and having a head, said stud beingadapted to be positioned between said projections; a locking memberkeyed to and slidable lengthwise of said stud; a pin in said studfor-limiting the inward movement of said locking member, and a springinterposed between said head and locking member whereby said lockingmember may be retained in engagement withsaid shouldered projection.described, the combination of a conveyer comprising two flexible sidemembers; parallelrods at opposite ends thereof; a. member nearly thelength of and suspended from one, rod and provided'with an elongatedpocket to receive the other rod; and means nearly the ing an enlargedcylindrical portion interposed between said side members with shouldersabutting the-inner faces, of said side members; a member suspended fromone rod with its outer ends abutting said side members and provided witha pocket to receive the enlarged portion of the other red; a closurepivoted to said suspended member; and means carried by said closure forlooking it to said suspended member.

Signed by me at 4 Post Ofiiee Square, Boston, Mass, this 3rd day ofJanuary, 1917.

CARL J WENNBERG. WVitnesses:

WALTER E. LoMBARD, NATHAN C. LOMBARD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

